For those of you who follow along with our adventures on social media, you’ll have seen that I recently had the pleasure of attending an intimate lunch with Estrella Damm. During this gathering, I even took part in a photoshoot of Canadians enjoying this iconically Spanish beer. Over an incredible meal at Portland Variety here in Toronto, I quickly came to realize that food pairings can be enjoyed alongside a cleverly crafted beer. In a “How To” guide, I’ve decided to put together a few tips for you all to recreate this delicious experience for yourselves.

Before I jump into a few simple tricks to create a Spanish experience alongside my favourite Spanish beer, let me tell you why I enjoy Estrella Damm at home with Julio. I’ll be honest in the fact that I’m not an avid beer drinker – I find it quite heavy and at times a complete turn off for the taste buds. Contrary to my preconceptions, sipping on Estrella Damm is quite refreshing and light. It’s a beer for both both drinkers and new converts like myself, which is saying a lot!

It’s one of the many reasons why when I was invited by the team at Estrella Damm to enjoy a delicious tapas style meal paired alongside their beer, there was nothing to think about. Having had the opportunity to visit Spain many years ago (I need to go back and take Julio – he’s never been), I was immediately immersed in a culture of food and beauty. Everything in Spain has this intrinsic elegance while being as simple as one might imagine. It’s a conundrum and not something that is easy to explain in words – you have to feel it.

It’s sitting in the sun with friends, eating fresh food and sipping on a cold beer. It’s days in the sun soaking in the history of a culture that helped to shape the world and moonlight that caresses your skin. It’s so many beautiful things…

Enjoying a Spanish meal with Estrella Damm and food pairings is one way that I can help you create that same feeling no matter where you are in the world. Portland Variety was able to create this sentiment in the middle of a Canadian winter. That is the power of food and beer when executed properly – the ability to transport you around the world without leaving your seat.

Want to create your own Spanish experience? It’s as easy as following these simple few steps and putting some thought into the food you pair with a delicious #EstrellaDamm.

First things first – you need to pick up Estrella Damm and keep it nice and cool. In my opinion, there is nothing worse than a warm beer that has lost it’s effervescence and life.

Next up, gather together a few friends for a meal that will play with their taste buds and help to have you reminiscing of fond memories while planning new ones.

When it comes to food, you should remember that beer has a flavour profile of its own, but it is easily overpowered. When it comes to creating a menu, fresh is always best. Spanish flavours are varied depending on where you visit, but there are always a few staples. Tapas is meant to be a small plate of invigorating flavours – Portland Variety sampled dishes from their menus including Beef Carpaccio, Ceviche, Fried Hen, Grilled Octopus, Warm Mushroom Salad and many more.

Think simple when it comes to planning out your menu. Fresh vegetables (eggplant, onions, tomatoes & mushrooms) are always a great base for dishes. Beef & fresh seafood are always classic Spanish ingredients and can help to bring to life the subtleties in Estrella Damm. You want to create a playful palate of food and beer that is easy to share (because sharing is caring) and fun to eat.

That’s the power of Estrella Damm and food pairings – the ability to create an experience that transcends your locations in the world to help always bring you back to Spain, even if you’ve never been. It’s why I can say with certainty that it has made a convert out of me and the way I think about beer.

For more information on our beer of choice and it’s worldly history, make sure to check out the Estrella Damm website.

To find your own Spanish inspiration, make sure to follow @EstrellaDamm on Twitter & Instagram. Follow and use the #EstrellaDamm hashtag when you create your very own experiences. Tag us to show us what you created and how you enjoyed pairing food with our favourite Spanish beer – we can’t wait to see what you create!

For more behind the scenes of this and other amazing brands we are working with around the world, make sure to follow along with the #DoTheDaniel Instagram account. We would love to have you come along on our daily adventures with us!